Mayor of New Paltz blasts merger study

Saturday

Jan 19, 2013 at 2:00 AM

NEW PALTZ — A study by town and village officials that has found taxpayers could have saved $1.6 million if the two governments had been consolidated two years ago has been denounced as "outright lies" by village Mayor Jason West.

BY JEREMIAH HORRIGAN

NEW PALTZ — A study by town and village officials that has found taxpayers could have saved $1.6 million if the two governments had been consolidated two years ago has been denounced as "outright lies" by village Mayor Jason West.

West is the Village Board's sole opponent of a consolidation plan that's been under review by both boards for roughly two years. Majorities on both boards have voiced support for consolidation.

Proponents hailed the study as proof that a combined government demonstrated the value of consolidation.

"It's now time for the community to decide to move into the 21st century," village Trustee Sally Rhoads said Tuesday. "We've spent enough time studying things."

Rhoads and town Supervisor Susan Zimet, who sat on the special finance committee that issued the study, agreed that it was both fiscally conservative and realistic in its conclusions, since it was based on the actual budgets of both governments in 2011.

The estimate did not include a $1 million state empowerment grant that would result should the public approve of consolidation. Both women say they favor putting the consolidation question up for a public referendum this year.

Following a joint town-village meeting earlier this week, West denounced the study variously as "propaganda" and a collection of "outright lies," adding that the people who supported its conclusions are "liars" themselves.

West said that much of the savings were one-time opportunities in 2011 and that when he demanded information at the meeting from town Highway Supervisor Chris Marx, Zimet "ordered" Hill not to answer West's question.

"It's been this way since the beginning," West said. "All they say is 'trust me' when you ask a direct question, and any contrary facts are pushed under the bed."

Rhoads described West's criticism of the study and its committee members as "reactionary hysteria," saying he has been derelict in his duties as mayor for refusing to be on the finance committee that issued the study.

"I'm sorry he feels he can insult (committee members) and that he has better financial credentials than they do," Rhoads said.